In digging this canal between Fleet prison and Holborn Bridge, several Roman utensils were discovered at the depth of fifteen feet; and, a little deeper, a great quantity of Roman coins in silver, copper, brass, and all other metals except gold. Those of silver were ring-money of several sizes, the largest about the bigness of a crown, but gradually decreasing; the smallest were about the size of a silver two-pence, each having a snip in the edge: and at Holborn Bridge were dug up two brazen Lares, or Houshold gods, about four inches in length, which were almost incrusted with a petrific matter: one of these was Bacchus, and the other Ceres: but the coins lying at the bottom of the current, their lustre was in a great measure preserved by the water incessantly washing off the corroding salt.
Probably the great quantity of coin found in this ditch, was thrown in by the Roman inhabitants of this city, for its preservation, at the approach of Boadicea, at the head of her army; but all the Roman citizens, without distinction of age or sex, being barbarously massacred by the justly enraged Britons, it was not discovered till this time. Besides the above mentioned antiquities, several things of a more modern date were discovered, as arrow heads, scales, seals, with the proprietors names upon them in Saxon characters; spur-rowels of an hand’s breadth, keys and daggers coated over with a livid petrific rust; together with a considerable number of medals, with crosses, crucifixes, and Ave Maries engraven thereupon. _Conyer’s MSS. in Sir Hans Sloane’s library in the Museum._
Fleet Ditch now extends no higher than Fleet Bridge, all above being arched, covered over, and converted into a market; and the building the fine bridge at Black Friars, will soon occasion all that is left of this ditch to be filled up.
FLEET _lane_, Old Bailey, extends to Fleet market.
FLEET MARKET, situated upon the canal called Fleet Ditch, was opened on the 30th of September 1737. Instead of stalls there are two rows of shops of a great length from north to south, with a handsome walk between, into which light is thrown by windows placed along the top; and in the center is a neat lanthorn with a clock; the whole of this part is paved with rag stones. On the south end, the fruiterers stands are made in the form of piazzas erected on each side, and these have proper conveniences to deposit their remaining stock.